Women in Blue aim for perfection against struggling Sri Lanka

Harmanpreet Kaur and her squad are standing on the threshold of a historic achievement as they head into the final match of the current series. Having already secured a 4-0 lead, the Indian Women's Cricket Team is looking to finish 2025 with a clinical 5-0 whitewash. This final India vs Sri Lanka Women's T20I at Thiruvananthapuram serves as a vital dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup, which is now less than six months away.

While the results have been one-sided, the series has been a showcase for India’s explosive opening pair. Shafali Verma batting has been a nightmare for the visitors; she has amassed 236 runs at a blistering strike rate of 185.82. Alongside her, Smriti Mandhana is chasing history. With 1,703 runs across all formats this year, she needs just 62 more to overtake Shubman Gill as the highest run-scorer of 2025 globally.

Despite the dominance, the Indian camp has areas to fix. Sloppy fielding has been a recurring theme, with several dropped catches giving the Sri Lankan batters second chances. Sri Lanka showed signs of life in the fourth game, where Hasini Perera provided a brisk start. The visitors will be desperate to avoid a total sweep and find some momentum before the world tournament.

Team selection remains a talking point for the hosts. After missing the previous game due to a mild fever, Jemimah Rodrigues might return to the lineup. There is also significant buzz around 17-year-old G Kamalini, who could make her debut after impressing as a substitute fielder.

On the bowling front, Deepti Sharma remains just one wicket away from becoming the all-time leading wicket-taker in women’s T20 Internationals. The pitch in Thiruvananthapuram, which saw over 400 runs in the last encounter, is expected to be a batter's paradise once again. As Harmanpreet Kaur leads her team out, the focus will be on maintaining intensity and finishing the year on a high note.